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Proofing
Tips - Make a Good Impression With Error-Free Documents
Copyright ©
2005-2008 Leva Duell
Typos
can hurt your sales. Apply the proofreading tips below to proof
your documents. The type of document and purpose will determine
how you proofread. Proofreading a legal document will be different
from proofreading documents with multiple columns, numbers, or
names.
Proofing
Tips
- Use your
word processor's spell checker first.
- Then
read and proof your document thoroughly.
- Read
backwards (right to left or bottom to top) to concentrate
on spelling instead of content.
- Reread
the document for content to find omissions and plurals.
- Wait
a couple of hours or a day to proofread what you typed. You
are more likely to find errors.
- Have
others proofread your documents. Consider using a professional
editor.
What
to Check
- Check
for overlooked insertions, omissions, and duplications.
- Check
parenthesis, quotation marks, apostrophes, hyphenation, and
compound words.
- Verify
any words you are not sure of.
- Watch
out for words the spellchecker won't catch such as it's/its,
their/there, your/you're, were/where, then/than, and to/too.
- Check
for consistent spelling of specialized words throughout the
document.
- When
adding or revising information, check the changes and additions.
Letters/Memos
- Check
the date.
- Check
name, address, phone number (in letterhead), subject or reference
line, signature, and recipients of copies.
Long
Text (manuals and other documents with 10 or more pages)
- Check
consistency. Using a style sheet will help you to be consistent
with tables, titles, subtitles, and headings.
- Check
spacing before and after paragraphs, titles and subtitles.
Viewing documents in outline view helps you check spacing
consistency.
- Proofread
in steps. Check all the titles first for consistency in size,
type style, and spacing before and after. Then check paragraphs,
numbering, etc.
- Use your
computer's automatic page numbering. Check if all pages are
printed and sorted in the right sequence.
- Check
sequence of numbers of itemized items. Verify that you have
all items.
Technical
and Legal Documents
- Read
the body of the document against the original. Proofread sentence
by sentence to catch omissions. Or have someone else read
the draft while you verify your work.
- Check
the outline. Check headings, sequence of numbers, letters,
and indentations.
Statistics,
Tables, Accounting, and Itemized Data
- Having
someone else read the original while you check your copy.
- For columns:
If you input data across the page, then proofread your copy
down the columns. If you typed the information down the page,
then proofread across the page. Proofread numbers across the
page, then down the page. Verify the number of entries in
each column with your copy.
Transcription
- Follow
your office or client guidelines. If you did not receive guidelines,
decide on a style and be consistent.
- Verify
names and specialized terms.
- After
transcribing, replay the tape at the fastest speed and verify
your finished typing against the tape to pick up misspellings.
- After
you are accustomed to the style and content of a dictation,
replay unclear phrases while transcribing instead of listening
to the complete tape a second time.
Web
Site
- Verify
phone numbers, email addresses, and Web address.
- Type
and proof your Web content before giving it to your Web designer.
Correcting errors after the Web site is designed will increase
cost.
- Proof
the Web site again after it's designed.
- Check
logos, graphics, and headlines that are converted to graphics
and can't be spellchecked.
Make
a good impression and increase credibility with error-free documents.
Take the time to proofread.
The
Secretarial Business-in-a-Box provides everything you need to
start and run a successful home-based secretarial business and
cash in on the high demand for secretarial services. Visit www.startasecretarialservice.com.
Read
more articles by this author at: http://www.startasecretarialbusiness.com/articles_reprint.html.
Web
Design: http://www.fivestarwebdesign.com
Internet
Marketing: http://www.profitablewebstrategies.com
Header
Templates: http://www.QualityHeaderTemplates.com
Ebook Cover Design: http://www.QualityEbookCovers.com
Email: leva @ startasecretarialbusiness.com -
Phone: 760-722-0290
Copyright
© 2003-2008 Leva Duell - All rights reserved.
http://www.startasecretarialbusiness.com
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